The Pittsburgh Steelers have turned to the practice-squad market twice in as many days, and the latest move underscores just how thin things have gotten at cornerback.
After landing Sean Murphy-Bunting from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ practice squad, the Steelers added another corner on Tuesday by poaching Terell Smith from the Washington Commanders’ practice squad, according to Nick Farabaugh of PennLive.
Smith brings a familiar kind of gamble: upside, but plenty of uncertainty. The Bears made him a fifth-round pick in 2023, and he spent his first two seasons in Chicago before an injury wiped out his 2025 campaign. In Chicago’s second preseason game in 2025 against the Buffalo Bills, Smith tore the patellar tendon in his knee, was carted off, later placed on IR, and eventually underwent surgery to repair the knee.
That leaves Pittsburgh betting on two corners who are both working back from major injuries. Murphy-Bunting missed the entire 2025 season with an ACL injury, while Smith missed all of 2025 with his torn patellar tendon. Neither player was on an NFL roster to start the year, which says plenty about where they stood after those injuries.
Still, Omar Khan is clearly not afraid to take that kind of shot. With Joey Porter Jr. traded to the Dallas Cowboys and Jamel Dean set to miss a few weeks with an ankle injury, the Steelers have had to get creative fast.
Smith’s track record before the injury gives Pittsburgh something to work with. Over his first two NFL seasons in 2023 and 2024, he played in 26 games and made six starts. In 584 defensive snaps, he logged 68 tackles, 10 passes defended, four tackles for a loss, and an interception.
There was also a step forward in his second season. Smith posted a 78.5 overall PFF grade in 2024 after a 69.6 mark as a rookie in 2023. At the 2023 NFL Combine, the Minnesota product measured 6'0 1/2'', 204 pounds, with 32 7/8'' arms and ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash.
The size and speed are there on paper. The question now is whether that speed still shows up after the knee injury - the same question Pittsburgh is asking with Murphy-Bunting, too.
For now, both additions look like low-risk swings. But with the cornerback room suddenly stretched and the Steelers trying to cover for a Joey Porter Jr.-sized hole, these are the kinds of moves that feel less like luxury and more like survival.
In Other News...
Steelers Fans May See Joey Porter Jr. Trade Very Differently Now
The Cowboys acquisition of Joey Porter Jr. came with the usual instant questions about what comes next, but the early read on his approach may ease some of that anxiety. Rather than pushing immediately for a new deal, Porter is reportedly willing to play out his current contract, which gives Dallas some breathing room as it sorts through the longer-term picture around one of its newest defensive additions.
For Steelers fans, that detail may change the way the move is viewed from afar. Porters market value is estimated at around $27.4 million per year, so the price tag is still substantial, but the bigger issue now appears to be how much security and how many years the Cowboys want to offer when the time comes. The contract conversation is not going away, but the early signs suggest this may be more about fit and timing than any urgent showdown over money. [Read more 🡒]
Missing Steelers Fan Case In Cleveland Just Took A Disturbing Turn
A trip to Cleveland for a football game has turned into a search that now carries real weight. Phoenix Phillips, a 24-year-old from Maryland, was last seen downtown after attending the game, and police have said his disappearance is concerning. His phone was found, adding to the unease around a case that has quickly moved beyond a simple missing-person report.
Authorities have also recovered an unidentified body near the area where Phillips was last known to be, though they have not confirmed any connection. The investigation remains active, and online chatter has added another layer of noise around Phillips, with unverified allegations tying him to unauthorized trading and scamming. For now, though, the only thing that matters is the unanswered question of what happened after he left the game. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers LB Cole Holcomb Shares A Feel Good Life Update
For a Steelers defense still trying to settle in through a 2-2 start, Cole Holcomb has had a more personal milestone to celebrate away from the field. Holcomb and his wife, Casey, welcomed their second child this week, a baby boy named Drew Jarrett, or DJ, adding a bright spot to a season that has already had its share of on-field grind for the veteran inside linebacker.
Holcomb has continued to be part of Pittsburghs mix in the middle of the defense, even as the early weeks have brought a little bit of everything, including an NFL fine for a blindside block on a special teams play in Week 3. The newborn news, though, is the kind of update that can reset a players week in a hurry, and it gives Holcomb and his family a memorable moment as the Steelers move deeper into the season. [Read more 🡒]